Consumer Information Resource Center

Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? If you don't, you probably know someone that does. Either way, you probably have had some questions about them at one time or another. So we at the Opticians Association of Illinois have put this information from the Consumer Eyecare Information Center together to try and answer some of your questions.

Follow the links below to find out more about such topics as ocular allergies, types of lenses, myths about vision, and why optician certification is important to you. And if you have any other questions, please let us know by dropping us a line at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
and we'll do our best to answer them.

Professional Occupations

Optician

An optician manufactures, verifies, and delivers lenses, frame and other specially fabricated optical devises. The optician's functions include; prescription analysis and interpretation, determination of the lens forms best suited to the wearer's needs; the preparation and delivery of the work orders for grinding of lenses and the fabrication of eyewear; the verification of the finished ophthalmic products; the adjustment, replacement, repair and reproduction of previously prepared ophthalmic devises.

Optometrist

Doctors of Optometry (OD), are primary healthcare providers who diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system as regulated by state law.

Ophthalmologist

A doctor of medicine (MD), who specializes in the comprehensive care of the eye and visual system. Each is licensed by a state to practice medicine and surgery.